Patents Examined by John M. Jillions
  • Patent number: 6299155
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a sheet has a pair of suction cups movable into and out of a cassette, a displacing mechanism for displacing the suction cups between a position in the cassette and a sheet delivering mechanism to cause the suction cups to transfer a stimulable phosphor sheet from the cassette to the sheet delivering mechanism, and a piping system connecting the suction cups to a vacuum pump for attracting the stimulable phosphor sheet to the suction cups, and for ejecting air from the suction cups toward a surface to be attracted of the stimulable phosphor sheet when the suction cups are moved into the cassette. The stimulable phosphor sheet can smoothly and reliably be removed from the cassette while the suction cups are effectively prevented from being deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Fujii, Yuzuru Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 6299090
    Abstract: A restraint device for a seat belt that can be wound on a belt reel has a belt tightener adapted to be driven by a propellant gas. The ignition of the propellant gas increases the working pressure in the pressure chamber so that the driving part of the belt tightener is moved in the driving direction. A load limiter cooperates with the belt reel and, after blocking of the belt reel, allows extraction of belt webbing with energy consumption. The working pressure in the pressure chamber can be reduced by a gas blowout passageway and, when the load limiter is actuated, the driving part remaining in a driving connection with the belt reel can be moved counter to the driving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Specht, Steve Marshall
  • Patent number: 6293485
    Abstract: A cord storage assembly is disclosed. A length of cord can be wound onto a reel. The storage assembly includes a retraction mechanism and a latch mechanism. A latch pilot mechanism is provided to selectively engage and disengage the latch mechanism. The latch pilot mechanism can be adapted to engage the latch mechanism when the cord is extended from the reel less than a predetermined length to prevent the operation of the latch mechanism. The latch pilot mechanism can be disengaged from the latch mechanism once the cord is extended greater than the predetermined length from the reel. The latch pilot mechanism can have different configurations and can be adapted to engage and disengage the latch mechanism at one or more predetermined lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: The Morey Corporation
    Inventor: Edward J. Hollowed
  • Patent number: 6290158
    Abstract: A rotatable reel carried on one's person having a housing assembled from an upper lid and a bottom lid is disclosed. A male upper cover and a female lower cover are provided in the housing to form a reel axle to be placed therein a coil spring and a roll of pulling rope. One end of the rope is exposed to the exterior of the housing to connect with a clamp on the surface of the bottom lid. A slightly smaller lining sleeve is slipped in the upper lid, the bottom lid is slipped over the lining sleeve and abutted on a protruding portion provided on the lining sleeve for tight connecting with the upper lid. A rivet sleeve is extended through central holes of the bottom lid, the reel and the lining sleeve and is rivet fastened with its end to the lining sleeve. The upper lid is provided directly on the planar surface thereof with a hole for receiving a decorative piece, the hole can be formed by punching molding to have various shapes to give various decorative possibilities for the reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Inventor: Yuh-Lin Huang
  • Patent number: 6290159
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a belt reel for the seat belt webbing. A load limiter allows limited extraction of the belt webbing with energy absorption when the belt reel is blocked. The absorption of energy is adjustable as a function of crash-related data and the rotating movement of the belt reel is scanned for this purpose when the extraction of the belt webbing is limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Specht, Thomas Kilian, Walter Krauss
  • Patent number: 6286779
    Abstract: The invention discloses a portable, lightweight, hand-held bandage rewinder wherein the operator holds the hand-held bandage rewinder in one hand and locates the bandage on a shaft which may include a spool. The operator then presses a switch to engage a means for rotating the spool which rolls the bandage onto the spool. The operator then slides the rolled up bandage off of the spool and the operation is complete. The means for rotating the spool may comprise an electric motor, such as a motor driven by a 9-volt battery. The means for rotating the spool may also be powered by an external current such as via an AC adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Inventor: James D. Devine
  • Patent number: 6286780
    Abstract: To prevent disalignment of the edges of a folded sheet by smoothly feeding the sheet to a packaging unit while keeping tension fluctuations to a minimum when the sheet is unwound from a paper roll set in a paper feed unit even though the paper roll diameter decreases gradually as the sheet is unwound. A sheet length measuring sensor or rotary encoder is provided in the paper feed path through which the packaging sheet is fed toward the packaging unit. An angle sensor is provided which includes Hall element sensors provided on a support shaft and magnets provided on a core pipe of the paper roll. Any change in the signals from one of these sensors relative to the signal from the other sensor is used to calculate the paper roll winding length, and the sheet tension is adjusted to an optimum, constant level by controlling the sheet braking force stepwise according to the roll diameter measured by the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yuyama Seisakusho
    Inventors: Shoji Yuyama, Hiroshi Nose, Itsuo Yasunaga, Naomichi Etou, Hirokazu Amano
  • Patent number: 6283402
    Abstract: A reeled feed web is unreeled and passed through a set of slitting knives before the slit webs are rewound on rewind reels each carried by one of two differential or lock-bar shafts. The shafts are fixed in position and the slitting knives and rollers for handling the feed web and the slit webs are mounted on a movable carriage which can be traversed towards or away from the shafts. The carriage includes two mounting beams, parallel to the shafts, on which lay-on rollers can be mounted for guiding or laying-on slit webs onto respective rewind reels carried by the shafts. Variable predetermined torques can be applied to the rewind reels and the lay-on rollers, and the movement of the carriage controlled, to implement any of the following winding geometries; center winding, center winding with lay-on, surface winding, center surface winding and constant gap winding. The shafts are cantilevered so that reels can be unloaded from the ends of the shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Ashe Controls, Ltd.
    Inventor: Keith Gary Fordham
  • Patent number: 6283398
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seat belt retractor comprising a seat belt spool (2) rotationally mounted on a frame (1) for winding and unwinding the seat belt, a blocking means (5) for blocking the rotation of the seat belt spool, a control element (6) by means of which the blocking means (5) can be actuated, a seat belt sensor mass (4) movably mounted on a support element (3) which rotates with the seat belt spool (2), a vehicle sensor mass (35) and a coupling device (14, 34) by means of which a moving connection can be established between the support element (3) and the control element (6) via the seat belt sensor mass (4) and/or the vehicle sensor mass (35). Said connection assures the transmission of a rotation of the seat belt spool in the direction of unwinding for actuating the blocking means. The support element (3) together with the seat belt sensor mass (4) positioned thereon and the control element (6) constitute a pre-assembled component unit (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Specht
  • Patent number: 6283403
    Abstract: The invention relates to a strip winder (1) for winding a hot or cold strip (25) into a coil, comprising a winder mandrel (2), pressure rolls (6-8) which can be in the form of comb rolls (6′-8′) deflection cups (9-11), and a feed shaft (20). The aim of the invention is to improve a strip winder of this type so that a hot or cold strip (25) can be wound securely on the winder mandrel (2) even at high speeds and when the strip is thin. To that end, the deflection cups (9-11) have channels (18) whose outlet openings (19) are located in the cup area and the channels (18) are connected to a medium supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: SMS Schloemann-Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Martin Braun, Reinhard Irle, Adolf Müller
  • Patent number: 6279900
    Abstract: A sheet guide device to guide a sheet being conveyed in a sheet conveying path of the device includes a device to adjust widthwise sheet positioning by regulating side edges of the sheet. The adjusting device is provided in a curved part of the sheet conveying path. The sheet guide device further includes a sheet conveying roller to convey the sheet. The adjusting device is positioned on a shaft of the sheet conveying roller and is slidable along the shaft. The sheet conveying roller reverses a conveying direction of the sheet. The adjusting device unitarily includes a guide member to guide the side edges of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaru Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 6276626
    Abstract: In seat belt retractor, a coupling mechanism is provided that allows torsional deformation of spindle shaft when a vehicle emergency occurs until the torsional deformation rotation of the left end of spindle shaft with respect to the part near its right end reaches a prescribed value, and when the torsional deformation rotation reaches the prescribed value, it couples the part near the right end of spindle shaft and winding drum so that they cannot rotate relative to each other, and the composition has been made such that when a vehicle emergency occurs, the kinetic energy of the passenger is absorbed and ultimately the passenger is securely restrained by the webbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Ashimori Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tanaka, Masao Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 6276629
    Abstract: The roll support (10) is used for removably connecting a suspended roll (12) to a housing (14). The support (10) comprises two opposite supporting assemblies (20), each located on a respective side (22,24) of the housing (14). Each assembly (20) comprises a plate member (30) operatively connected to the housing (14) and pivotable around a horizontal pivot axis. A spring (50) forces a surface of the plate member (30) toward the horizontal. A suspension member (60) is pivotally connected to the housing (14) for supporting a respective side of the roll (12). The roll support (10) provides a simple mechanism for removably connecting a suspended roll (12) to a housing (14) without the need of manually inserting a mandrel through the spool (16) of the roll (12). A method for connecting a suspended roll (12) to a housing (14) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Experts en Traitement de l'Information (E.T.I.) Montreal Inc.
    Inventor: Yvan Laporte
  • Patent number: 6267319
    Abstract: A dual-mode hose roller including a crank and a mounting plate may be used to roll up collapsed hose into either a compact hose roll or an expanded hose coil. The crank and mounting plate are arranged to facilitate transmission of torque from the crank to the desired type of hose winding. When a compact hose roll is desired, torque is transmitted directly to the hose. When an expanded hose coil is desired, torque is transmitted to the hose through the mounting plate and several extension arms. The extension arms are sized so that the hose roller forms an expanded hose coil having a suitable diameter for structural fire hose. The mounting plate is rotatably mounted on a fixed support through a bearing and, optionally, a ratchet mechanism. Using the hose roller, preparation is made for fighting a structural fire arranging a section of collapsed hose into a hose bundle. A section of hose is rolled up into an expanded hose coil and arranged into a number of hose loops to form a hose bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventors: Richard W. Hoffmann, Richard L. Garner
  • Patent number: 6267320
    Abstract: In an unroll device provision is made for at least one unroll stand which comprises two lugs lodged in bearing supports. The bearing levers are horizontally movable individually. Furthermore, a supporting shaft is run on the bearing supports of an unroll stand in such a way that it can be shifted parallel allel to itself, but also out of its base position in a horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: BHS Corrugated Maschinen-und Anlagenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Gustav Alfons Gnan
  • Patent number: 6267314
    Abstract: A self-locking belt roller has a housing and a belt winding shaft rotatably mounted in housing. A torsion rod has a first end connected in the belt winding shaft. A profile head is connected to a second end of the torsion rod. A blocking member, that is vehicle-sensitive and/or belt-sensitive, is mounted on the profile head and moveable into a locking position at the housing in which rotation of the belt winding shaft is blocked. An energy-dissipating structure is positioned within a force transmission path, including the profile head, the torsion rod, and the belt winding shaft, for increasing a restraining force before the torsion rod becomes effective or simultaneously to the torsion rod becoming effective and for obtaining a degressive force characteristic curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Klaus-Peter Singer, Enno Witfeld, Günter Clute
  • Patent number: 6260786
    Abstract: A two-shaft linear motion type winder for winding up a sheet material, e.g. a film is provided, which can eliminate the occurrence of any mechanical loss by simplification of a transission device, shorten the path distance of the film upon roll changing, prevent the neck-in and wrinkling of the film and reduce vastly the roll changing cycle. It comprises at least a pair of upper-stage winding frames having holders for an upper winding shaft, suspended from an upper main frame to be slidingly movable back and forth in a given area; and a pair of lower-stage winding frames having holders for a lower winding shaft, disposed on a lower main frame to face upwards so as to be slidingly movable longitudinally in a given area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Fuji Tekko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minoru Ueyama
  • Patent number: 6260787
    Abstract: A rewinder for rewinding a web into one or more rolls on separate cores, includes at least one rewinding mandrel having a distal end. The rewinder also has a supply device for supplying the web to the rewinding mandrel, and a drive device. The drive device can (a) rotate the rewinding mandrel in order to wind at least a portion of the web onto the rewinding mandrel, and (b) axially retract the mandrel to unload the portion of the web wound on the mandrel. Also included is a holder for holding the one or more rolls. The rewinder also has a lifter for (a) raising the holder to support the portion of the web wound on the mandrel, and (b) lowering the holder. This rewinding mandrel is rotated in order to wind at least a portion of the web onto the rewinding mandrel. The holder is then raised to support the portion of the web wound on the mandrel. Next, the mandrel is axially retracted to unload the portion of the web wound on the mandrel, before lowering the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: John Dusenbery Co., Inc.
    Inventors: John Michel, John Wilkes, Michael Yermal
  • Patent number: 6253928
    Abstract: In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a grain grader has an improved cleaning system utilizing cascades of rollers swingably engaged with a grading cylinder. In a preferred embodiment, a multiple axle roller assembly for dislodging clogged grain in the apertures is suspended from above the cylinder with multiple the rollers swingable in a downward arc to engage the cylinder. Such roller assembly may include a lifting mechanism to raise and lower the assembly for selective engagement with the rotating trammel and to facilitate removal and insertion of cylinders. The roller assembly has a plurality of stages to effectively provide unclogging action without gaps across the entire width of the trammel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Gustafson, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph A. Weber
  • Patent number: 6254089
    Abstract: A suction gripper for transferring a trailing edge of a sheet guided on an upstream sheet-conveying cylinder to a downstream sheet-conveying cylinder of a turning device of a sheet-fed rotary printing machine includes a holding arm. The holding arm can be extended out of the circumferential surface of the downstream sheet-conveying cylinder, to which a suction head is movably fastened. The suction head is connected to the holding arm via a spring and its movement in a direction toward a circumferential surface of the upstream sheet conveying cylinder is limited by a stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willi Becker, Andreas Fricke